Culture spaces in Vancouver are under attack. Let’s get together to shake down some ideas, build bridges to unite the arts community in the face of a passive City and aggressive developers / gentrification, and shake it on the dance floor with

Door proceeds support the #W2Belongs2Me Legal Fund! Support a community-run project that needs our love right now as they push back a City eviction notice. With the closure of the Waldorf as we know it, come out and show some love for Vancouver’s independent culture spaces.

THE PLAN:
We get things started at 8pm with a Panel Discussion on Vancouver’s Cultural Spaces, and we’ve invited experts on the subject to talk about The Red Gate (proposed new home on Industrial), W2’s struggle for respect in the Woodward’s complex, and The Waldorf Hotel’s sell-off by their landlord to Solterra Development. What can be done to support these vital Vancity cultural institutions, and where to from here more united!

This is followed by a birthday party! And on this sombre information and ideas-generating night, we’re not just celebrating any old birthday party – it’s Art’s Birthday! Performances from a variety of older and newer Vancouver legends provoking #NoFunCity by showing how critical emergent and dynamic culture is, the people and spaces.

Then the evening goes off the hook with the Waldorf’s Thursday night full of funk and funk-inspired beats from a cast of Vancouver DJs and cultural promoters who contribute to Vancouver’s dynamic arts community. Hosted by Dunks.

A Happy New Year W2 Belong 2 Me Community Meeting at La Casita Restaurant in Vancouver

Culture spaces in Vancouver are under attack. Let’s get together to shake down some ideas, build bridges to unite the arts community in the face of gentrification, and shake it on the dance floor with Dunks (http://thefunkhunters.com/), Willisist + Eradik (http://Shahdjs.com/), and DJ Don Chow!

Door proceeds support the #W2Belongs2Me Legal Fund! Support a community-run project that needs our love right now as they push back a City eviction notice. With the closure of the Waldorf as we know it, come out and show some love for Vancouver’s independent culture spaces.

THE PLAN:
We get things started at 8pm with a Panel Discussion on Vancouver’s Cultural Spaces, and we’ve invited experts on the subject to talk about The Red Gate (proposed new home on Industrial), W2’s struggle for respect in the Woodward’s complex, and The Waldorf Hotel’s sell-off by their landlord to Solarra developer. What can be done to support these vital Vancity cultural institutions, and where to from here more united!

This is followed by a birthday party! And on this sombre information and ideas-generating night, we’re not just celebrating any old birthday party – it’s Art’s Birthday! Performances from a variety of older and newer Vancouver legends provoking #NoFunCity by showing how critical emergent and dynamic culture is, the people and spaces.

Then the evening goes off the hook with the Waldorf’s Thursday night full of funk and funk-inspired beats from a cast of Vancouver DJs and cultural promoters who contribute to Vancouver’s dynamic arts community. Hosted by Dunks.

Bring in 2013 with #W2Belongs2Me friends at one of Vancouver’s best annual NYE celebrations. Some of the west coast’s most innovative live electronic artists, media arts, and progressive community vibe. We are celebrating an inclusive, creative, cross-cultural Vancouver! We will be together this New Year’s Eve – together because we cherish our friends and honour the community that nurtures and rewards us.

W2 Lights NYE is a grassroots institution, selling out in advance each year. We’ve scaled it intimate with a spectacular celebration of lights, music + friends. 2013 programming themes present female chanteuses, digital Indigenous, cumbia, and future bass music. A diverse mix showcasing what a unified Vancouver community is all about.

Proceeds from tonight’s event help our innovative and inclusive community grow strong. Thank you for dancing with your feet — or acting with intentions.

This is an information meeting about the very real threats by the City of Vancouver to evict W2 programs from the Woodward’s heritage building. Learn background info, and find out how you can participate in our community’s response to the attempt to evict W2 on December 31.

We’ll also discuss W2’s financial challenges which threaten W2’s capacity to operate a sustainable community media arts centre. How are we doing, how we plan to be sustainable, and what we and our partners are doing.

The City, landlord and property management company are working to push W2 out over non-payment of $90,000 in amenity/strata fees and because they simply do not like what we do.

This eviction of our programs is delivered, despite our clear demands in correspondence as far back as February 2012, that W2 needs to receive services for amenity fees levied. Instead of hiding behind “legal” arguments about how they cant do anything, City Councillors should respect the local communities’ capacity and ability to build a centre inclusive for all – not just the market.

Instead of attempting to gentrify W2’s grassroots community and inclusive programs and services out out of Woodward’s, City Council and staff should be stepping in to address their own failures to act on City policies for City properties like the Woodward’s heritage building that despite our complaints discriminates against low-income people, persons with disabilities vis-a-vis wheelchair access and public bathroom policies.

W2 has persevered against 4 previous City attempts to block community access to Woodwards. Now we are building a community-engaged media arts centre that works to unite Vancouverites across race, gender and class. Let’s work together to make it last. If we can’t we are forced to move again ~ would be W2’s 6th home in 5 years if you are counting 😉

If we work together, we can demand the Woodward’s development works for the community, not just retail and commercial interests. Woodward’s was meant to be more than that.

This is your opportunity to learn more about what we are doing, help you connect with people with similar interests to defend W2, and get more involved with building a campaign. W2 (R)evolution needs your help now!

W2 Belongs 2 Me members’ meetings are designed to help connect fans of W2 to be more active participants. The session will be important for members, programming partners, volunteers and staff to find our common interests in order to protect the grassroots values of W2 in an otherwise hostile gentrified Woodward’s environment.

PLAN AHEAD! DEC 31 IS THE CITY EVICTION DATE AND OUR CELEBRATION IF INDIGENOUS, LATINO, AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC!

W2 LIGHTS NYE is taking on more meaning this year as we fight for a genuinely inclusive Vancouver, not one racially segregated and only for the middle class. We do not know if this event will take place at Woodward’s or a new site. Stay tuned and participate! http://www.facebook.com/events/500924206594289

As a pre-Christmas gift, on December 17 the City of Vancouver changed locks on the W2 Media Cafe in the Woodward’s Atrium.

Community groups are responding raising objections to loss of inclusive space in the Downtown Eastside. The 10,000 sq ft community-engaged media arts centre had been facing a controversial December 31 eviction notice.

The inner-city media hub is broadly recognized for incubating and launching programs and services with the Urban Indigenous community, and these groups are most affected by the locks being changed.

A Press Conference will take place at the Woodward’s Atrium on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 at 11:00am.